Rotary refrigerating-machine.



INTO-898,400.

- M. AUDIFFREN & H. A. SINGRN.

ROTARY RBPRIGERATING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 2o, 1906.

wlmsssas f w fh C mvlsNToRs TTORN EYS PATBNTED SEPT. 8, 1908.-

UNITED i sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

MARCEL AIIDIFFREN, OF GOLBEY, AND HENRI ALBERT SINGRN, EPINAL, FRANCE; SAID SINGRUN ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETE DES ETABLISSEMENTS SINGRUN, OF EPINAL, FRANCE,

A CORPORATION.

ROTARY REFRIGERATING-MACHINE.

lof Epinal, Vosges, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary .y Refrigerating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements 1n rotary refrigerating machines, that 1s to say machines for the-production of cold,

' consistlng of a lrotary condenser, within .which are arranged one or more compressors of liqueiiable gases (such as sulfurous acid) and any convenient 'form of evaporator or refrigerator. l

In rotary refrigerating machines hitherto constructed the oil which is introduced into the condenser to assure the lubrication of the working parts only performs this work imperfectl and moreover diminishes the output of t e compressors owing to the absence of suitable means for effecting its complete separation from the refrigerating` liquid within the condenser and a pro er circulaf tion of each of these liquids. T e improve- `ments to be described below obviate these disadvantages.

Figure 1 of the accompan ing drawing is a section, 4on the broken line B. C. in Fig. 2, of an apparatus furnished with these improvements, in theposition which it occupies when rotating and working with a refriger# ating li uid heavier than oil. Fig. 2 is a section of t e same apparatus on the line D E of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line A B' of Fig. 2, showing the arrangement which may be adopted when 'a refrigerating liquid lighter than oil is employed.

A hollow shaft a carries and actuates in the ordinary way the condenser b (within which is all the mechanism for compressing the liqueiable gases), and it also carries the evaporator or refrigerator c, andl puts these two parts into communication for circulating the gases and liquids. From this shaft is suspended by means of two sleeves d d a casting v e weighted by a weight f, which prevents it from turning, and surmounted by a separating reservoir g .l It carries in addition Vthe compressors h and also the mechanism for dis- A Specification of Letten; Patent.

. Application Bled June 20, 1906. Serial No. 322,545.

tributing the lubricating oil and for collecting Patented sept. 8, 190s.

ing the liquids.l The whole of this mechanism, which when the machine' is in operatlon occupies the position shown yin Fig. 2, on the machine 'coming to rest and when no longer working as a compressor, takes up a osition by reason `of its own weight at an ang e equal to A B A to the position shown. A

The casting e maybe open at its b ase and even at its sides, or it may be closed at all points (as shown in the drawing by Way ofv In the latter case it has at its example) the same and separating it andfor circulatbase one or more drainagefopenings i for the oil, of suitable section as will be explained below.

At the inner end of the shaft a one of the sleeves dof the casting through which the shaft passes is furnished with an annular bearing j. this bearing is automatically secured when the machineis in operation by reason of the partial vacuum in the refrigerator c and the com ression in the condenser b, as a result of whic the casting e is pressed against the end of the hollow shaft a through which communication between the two chambers takes place. In order to'secure an almost indefinite life for the said joint and distribute the wear over a larger surface a second safety bearing may be formed by the end of the other 4sleeve d ofthe casting which abuts upon the collar '7c of the shaft a.

In the construction shown in the drawings in Figs. 1 and 2 which is specially designed for the case when the refrigerating liquid is heavier than the oil, or other lubricant employed, the separating reservoir gin the upper part of the casting which is intended to Within the separating reservoir isarran ed anv obturating valve o with float or-ba to control the opening of the pipe m so as only A perfectly water tight joint at to allow liquid which has been freed from oil meet the case Where the O il is heavier than the refrigerating liquid, the pipe Z for the escape of the oil reaches to the bottom lof the vseparating reservoir, while the pipe m is extended, the portion m reaching to the top of the reservoir.

A sera er or collector p servesvto automat? ically co lect and brin into the separating reservoir the mixture o liquids which is held againstthe sides of the-condenser b, by the centrifugal action of the. machine. This device may be replaced by any suitable contrivance for raising li uid's.

The compressors are oscillating and double acting and each is mounted in the casing e by means of trunnions g, and is rovided with a piston r which is preferably iollowed on the side turned towards the axis of the apparatus, so as to exactly fit a projecting boss ormed by the cover s of the cylinder through which passes the piston rod, this arrangement being devised t'o reduce the' diameter of the apparatus as much as possible.

The piston rods end in collars t u which embrace the eccentric portion v of the shaft a, so that the rotation of the shaft reeiprocates the pistons.

Instead of metallic packing the piston r is furnished with a circular groove w which is continually fed with oil by means of the passage x in the side of the cylinder. vThis collar of oil forms an absolutely water-tight and at the same time lubricating packing.

Each oscillating compressor cylinder carries on the inlet side a valve plate y furnished with two ports z which the oscillation'l of the cylinder alternately puts into communication with the inlet passages Z in the casting e. All these assages open out opposite the end of the ho low shaft a. The cylinders h are formed with valve plates y which are automatically held tightly .against the sides of the casting e by the 'pressure in the condenser which, being greater than that in the refrigerator c to which the cylinders are opened through the passage Z, acts on one side of the cylinder (the left in Fig. 1) and the suction acts throughthe one or other of the passages l leading to the ports on the other side ofthe cylinder, depending upon the position of the cylinder. ln .Fig 1 this suction force is exerted through the passage leading to the upper port.

The outlet valves 2 of the compressors may be of any ordinary construction, the oil in which they work reducing the shock and insuring a perfect closure in all eases. lf desired two, three or four multiple double acting compressors may be used, in which case they'should beset apart at angles of 65 ,the machine to be started again immediately and for facilitating the detachment of the ice which has accumulated on the outer side of the refrigerator. This contrivance consists of a valve 3 actuated by a weighted lever 4 arranged opposite an opening in the shaft a. The automatic closing and opening of the.

valve is controlled by the -counterweight 8 which is acted on bythe centrifugal force of the machine when running or is unaffected when the latter is at rest. Finally the condenser is covered by a hood 5 which reaches down into the cooling water. v provided with a shaft 6 furnished with a Ventilating fan 7, driven by the shaft of the machine or in any convenient manner; and 1 with'openings 8 for the circulation of the air. The air passing across the Water in a finely 9 divided state caused by the rapid rotation of the condenser effects a considerable cooling of the water andl consequently reduces the amount of water required for condensation.

This hood is Also the air drawn in by the fan 7 through 100 a, conduits l and ports z, and force them out through the discharge valves 2v into the liquid in the casting c. These vapors or gases are thus compressed by the pumps into the condenser and are finally liquefied. '.lhe

mixture of oil amlrefrigerating liquid which 1 under the centrifugal action of the rotating apparatus is held against the inner side of the condenser, is beingcontinuously collected by the collector p which passes it into the separating reservoi',` g, where it separates in the order of density. The oil as it is separatedcontinuously falls upon the compressor and on the working parts and passes between all the working surfaces which are in contact. When the casting c is open, the oil covers all l the parts with a circulating coating 1nd when the castingr is closed these parts are entirely immersed. In the latter case the drainage openings are `of a section which varies in proportion to theV section of the collector andthe rate of rotation of the apparatus so as to maintain the oil at about the eve'l shown in the drawing. The oil which falls into the condenser becornes cooled on coming into contact with the sides of the latter and is collected again l together with the refrigerating liquid by the collector p, and returned to the upper portion of the lseparating reservoir, where it is again separated, falls again upon the compressors and so on.

The refrigerating liquid returns to the evaporator by the pipe` m as it is freed from oil, the ball cock or float valve only allowing it to escape when perfectly separated from the oil, so that only oil circulates on the comlpressors and neighboring parts, vand only refrigerating liquid is sent back into the evaporator. 'V This circulation and separation is eifected in a continuous cycle, thus assuring the cooling of the compressors and other parts, the absolute imperviousness of all joints, the diminution of shock to all working parts and erfect lubrication. It is further to be noted) that immersion "n the oil allows of dispensing with the inlet valves ordinarily used in compressors thereby doin awaywith .the difliculties of regulating and a so with the troublesome space which results with their use, and allows of replacing them by friction slides. The stuffing boxes of the piston rods may be done away with'as Well as the metallic packing for the pistons. Moreover' the irnperviousness ofthe joints, which is likewise'due to the coating of oil, prevents the gases compressed in the condenser from passing,into the refrigerator. In short, all these results which are due to a continual c cle of circulation and the separation of the iquids as described contribute to increasing the output and lasting properties of the apparatus.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a rotary refrigerating machine, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both, a casting mounted loosely on the holow shaft within the condenser, a counte'rweight for the casting, a reservoir surmounting the casting, compressors, means for o erating the compressorsfrom the hollow s aft, an outlet to the com ressors from the evaporator through the volloW shaft, means for collecting mlxed lubricant and refrigeratin li uid for the reservoir, a free outsaid liqui and means or conveying the rei stantially as described.

frigerating liquid to the evaporator, sub- 2. In a rotary refrigerating machine, a condenser and evaporator and hollow connecting shaft, in combination with a casting free on the shaft and a com resser in the casting, means for collecting t e lubricant in the up-V per art of the casting from the revolving con enser, and the said casting having an outlet at the bottom proportionate to the rate of supl ly to maintain a constant level o'f lubricant a ove the'compressors.

3. In a refrigerating machine, a rotary con'- denser and evaporator and hollow connecting 7 5 shaft in combination With a casting mounted free on the shaft in said condenser, a separating reservoir surmounting the casting, a com-` pressor, means for collecting the refrigerant and lubricant from the rotary condenser into said separating reservoir and means for cono veying the former to the evaporator and the i lubricant to the compressor.

4. The combination with a rotary condenser and a rotary evaporator communicat- 8-5 ing with each other, of a reservoir for the refrigerating liquid located Within said condenser, means for conducting to said reservoir commingled refrigerating fluid and oil, an automatic float valve in the reservoir and a fixed pipe communicating therewith for leading away the refrigerating li uid to the evaporator asit is freed from o1l, substantially as described. y

5. The combination of a rotary condenser, a rotary eva orator, a hollow shaft common to both and a chambered casting freely mounted in the end of said shaft within the condenser, through which casting said shaft opens into the condenser from the evaporator and a com ressorarranged in said passage through tllie casting, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the condenser, a casting situated therein oscillating compressor cylinders in the casting and ports in the cylinders and in the casting adapted to be alternately opened and closed by the oscillation substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the casting contain- -ing lubricant, oscillating compressing cylin` ders therein', lpistons in said cyllnders,grooves around said pistons and an a erture through said cylinder for the admisslon of lubricant to the grooves, substantially yas set forth.

8. A communicating rotary condenser and evaporator having a supplementary passage between the condenser and evaporator cham bers, means for creating a difference in pressure in said chambers during the o eration of the device, and an equalizingvave in saidL assage adapted to be closed by centrifugal orce when said apparatus is in operation, substantially as described.

9. A refrigerating apparatus having communicating rotary condensing and evaporating chambers arranged adjacent each other, a water vessel into which said rotary condenser extends, a hood over said condenser having o enings on the side toward the evaporator an afan arranged to draw air past said evaporator and through the hood to cool the exposed surface of said condenser and the Water thrown off by the same during its rotation,

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to specification in the presence of two subserlbmg Wltnesses.

MARCEL AUDIFFREN.4 HENRI-ALBERT SINGRUN.

Witnesses:

GUSTAVE DUMONT, HANsoN C. CoXE. 

